EDISON, N.J. – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) named Niagara freshman infielder Kendall Watkins as the MAAC Softball Rookie of the Week, announced on Tuesday.
 
Watkins helped the Purple Eagles to a 3-1 record in four games at the Cleveland State Dome Tournament on Feb. 11 and 12, the team's best start since 2009. The freshman from Williamsport, Pa. batted .385 on the weekend (5-for-13), the best batting average for a MAAC freshman over the weekend.
 
After the first week of the season, Watkins leads the conference with five runs scored and ranked second with four RBIs. She tallied two extra-base hits on the weekend, including a two-run home run for her first career hit in a 9-0 rout of Robert Morris on Feb. 11. Through the season's opening weekend, Watkins also ranked first among MAAC freshman with a .385 on-base percentage and a .692 slugging percentage, ranking fifth and fourth overall in those categories.
 
Niagara is back in action on Monday, March 6 as the team starts a stretch of seven games in seven days in Florida with a two-game set against South Dakota State and Western Michigan.
 
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